


#LoveWinsAmerica

by Agent C (arh581958)



Category: Marvel, Marvel (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies), The Avengers (Marvel) - All Media Types, The Avengers - Ambiguous Fandom
Genre: M/M, Remix2016
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-02-13
Updated: 2016-02-13
Packaged: 2018-05-17 23:09:04
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,690
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5888761
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/arh581958/pseuds/Agent%20C
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Steve has fought in wars before. This time, he fights a war for love. </p><p>(Or: Steve gets tangled up in the #LoveWins movements and goes along with it--dragging Tony with him.)</p>
            </blockquote>





	#LoveWinsAmerica

**Author's Note:**

  * For [imafriendlydalek](https://archiveofourown.org/users/imafriendlydalek/gifts).
  * Inspired by [All-American Pride](https://archiveofourown.org/works/4221030) by [imafriendlydalek](https://archiveofourown.org/users/imafriendlydalek/pseuds/imafriendlydalek). 



> Written for the [Captain America/Iron Man Remix 2016 (Cap_Ironman_Remix_2016)](http://archiveofourown.org/collections/Cap_Ironman_Remix_2016/) . It's my first time doing a remix~ Wieeee~ 
> 
> A remix of [All-American Pride](http://archiveofourown.org/works/4221030) by [imafriendlydalek](http://archiveofourown.org/users/imafriendlydalek/pseuds/imafriendlydalek). 
> 
> imafriendlydalek, it's been a pleasure remixing this! I took most of your storyline and made it all in Steve's perspective, adding a detail or two, here and there. I hope you like it!

**“CAPTAIN AMERICA AND IRON MAN CAUGHT IN RARE INTIMATE MOMENT”** , the headline reads. While The New York Times had a sterling reputation for its editorial excellence, the same can no longer be said for its news selection, seeing that, last 27th June 2015, the title above made it to the front page—in big, bold, blue and red letters.

“Oh,” was Steve’s only thought when he grabbed their copy of the paper.

The Avengers, well Tony, subscribed to a whole range of printed and digital media for their consumption. Steve always thought that the newspapers were meant for him, or possibly Phil on occasion, seeing that the rest of their team opted to surf the internet.

There was a picture with accompanied the scandalous title. It was a grainy overblown picture of _Captain America_ and _Iron Man_. He would have chastised the photographer or the editor of the paper if not for the fact that it was _him and Tony_ in the center of the frame. It was taken yesterday.

Tony had taken a direct heat from baddie of the week, a guy who called himself Supercharger. The blast of pure energy hit him straight to chest, funneling an electric surge which even the Ironman suit could not dispense fast enough. He went down, hard and fast, creating a small crater where he landed.

Steve had been the closest avenger to the crash site. He had heard Tony’s cry over the comms and dashed to his fallen comrade without a second thought. He would have done so with everyone else. The fact that it was _Tony_ made him run a half-second faster.

“Super-Secret Love Affair? Captain America [left] holds his injured beloved, Ironman [right], after the latter’s nasty fall in the middle of the firefight.” The caption posits below the main picture. Two more inserts were on the lower corner.

It was of them, just minutes after Tony’s nasty dive.

“True Love? The Captain takes an intimate moment with Ironman,” one of the inserts showed Steve kneeling over Tony, gently caressing the suit’s face plate with an ungloved hand, his thumb right below the eye while the rest curled underneath the jaw, and his face was contorted into a frown.

Steve had just gotten to Tony’s side, his first instincts had told him to open the faceplate and give Tony some air. Except, his gloved fingers wouldn’t be able to fit through the manual grooves beneath the seam, so he had removed them.

“A kiss? The couple’s kiss hidden from view!” Another insert showed Steve leaning over Tony. Their faces were hidden by the arm he used as support.

Tony had wheezed out a command when the face plate was lifted. His voice had been too weak as he told Steve the instructions to manually reboot the arc reactor. The continued wheezing and the grimace on Tony’s face as shrapnel edged closer to his heart had prompted Steve into action.

Finally, the main picture, _the_ picture which graced the cover of New York Times, was that of Steve holding Tony upright, arm on the back of the armor for support, and hand over the chest plate. Steve’s face looked absolutely distraught because Tony had suddenly blacked out.

Overall, the content of the article wasn’t badly written; the reporter had gotten the names right, the place right, and the basic details of SHIELD’s cover story right. So, it really wasn’t that bad. They even got something else half-right because the ‘super-secret love’ was definitely there, on Steve’s part at least.

***

Natasha dropped the news like a bomb at the team breakfast, aka the Avenger’s morning assembly at the kitchen wherein Steve and Bruce took turns cooking, Thor and Clint took turns stuffing their faces, Bruce and Tony were scienc-ing in a corner, and Phil and Natasha talked in hushed tones.

“You boys got something you want to share with us?” She asked, tossing the paper, which Steve had subtly try to hide under the rest of today’s broadsheets, onto the table. Phil was blushing like a virgin behind her. He wasn’t Director Coulson here.

Steve pursed his lips and flipped the pancake with one hand, not wanting to give himself away. All his instincts were on fight or flee mode in a way he knew only the SHIELD agents would notice. Thankfully, they say nothing.

It was Tony, always Tony, who broke the silence first.

“Yeah, right. We all know Spangles doesn’t bend that way.” Tony said with a snort-grunt sound passing his lips. He gives Steve the flirty wink-and-finger-guns combo with a click of his mouth. “Right, cap?”

“Well, they sure do have an active imagination,” Steve replied, fighting to reign in the bitterness in his tone and hoping that Tony wouldn’t notice it. “I was just restarting the suit.” He shrugged, “Well, it’s a pity that they don’t know that.”

Tony raised his eyebrow and laughed. “Shall I start the barrage of flowers and chocolates? It’s never too early for Valentines’ day, you know.”

Steve snorted and grabbed the Tony’s mug.

“Hey!” Tony protested, leaning over the counter to make grabby hands at the ceramic, “I was drinking that!”

“I know,” Steve hummed, turning around. It gave him time to calm down as well as refill Tony’s mug with hot coffee. He also added the milk and sugar. “I was just refiling it.” He said, turning back to see Tony with a wide toothy grin that could melt the ice caps.

“I know you love me~” Tony sing-songed, reaching for the cup. Their fingers brushed with the exchange and all Steve could hear was those words echoing in his head.

Good, he thinks, disaster averted.

***

Of course, on that day, the internet exploded.

***

Steve’s phone beeped for the hundredth time since they left the tower, the morning after. Four of them, Thor, Jane, Tony, and he, had all gone downtown. Thor had invited the team for a ‘might feast of heated animal which was not of the _Canis Lupus Familiaris_ species’ and only Tony and he had opted to join.

He was stuffed after eating about two dozen hotdogs, a bucket of onion rings, and a coke. They’d chosen to walk back to the tower instead of risk getting car sick on the ride home. His phone had been beeping periodically for the last half-hour which he had not check in respect to his companions.

“Check your stupid phone, Cap,” Tony quipped from beside him as they rounded a sidewalk, “It’s not rude if there isn’t conversation going around.”

“It’s not a call,” Steve insisted because he would much rather talk to Tony really now that the man was free from Jane’s science talk. “They’ll call if it’s something important.”

“Cap, cap, capity-cap-cap…” Tony cooed, slipping his fingers at the back pocket of Steve’s jeans and pulling out the phone. “—your ringtone is going to drive me half-made any second now if you don’t answer.” He said, waving the device around in front of Steve’s face.

 _How in the hell_?

“How did you do that?” Steve exclaimed in wonder, “I didn’t even feel a thing!”

Tony waggled his eyebrows and wiggles his hands. “Puh-lease, piece of cake, cap, I speed-type with my thumbs on my phone, picking your pocket wasn’t a challenge. Now go check your phone lest you want the wrath of Coulson to descend upon you.”

“Right,” Steve nodded. He glances down at the screen and his eyes grow wide.

“Care to share with the class, Cap?” Tony joked from beside him, sidestepping a pothole in the middle of the pavement.

Steve nearly stepped onto the pothole but managed to save himself at the last second. “I’ve got a thousand notifications on my Facebook page.”

“Oh wow. In a day? That even breaks my record for the sex video when I was in MIT. Then again, we didn’t have YouTube then,” Tony made a face and shrugged, “Which one? Personal or Fan Page?”

“Fan page,” Steve muttered under his breath, eyes glued to the tiny screen. His notifications were filled with wallposts, mentions, private messages, and entries tagged with #LoveWinsCaptainAmerica. It was bizarre and completely unexpected.

There were also a couple of hateful things. He deleted those immediately.

He glanced up, seeing his three companions staring at him with similar expressions.

“Well?” Tony said, face dong the _go on_ thing with the eyebrows, “What did they say?” He inquired, peering beside Steve’s shoulder to see. His face pressed against Steve’s bicep, chest casually curved Steve’s side, and his hair tickled Steve’s nose. God, he smelled amazing.

“Most of them are thanking me.” Steve said dumbly.

Thor clapped him on the shoulder, hard, making him wine. “Tis a noble expression for your valiant deeds, o mighty Captain! You’ve fought bravely during the battle against the giant battery! Truly, ‘tis a conquest which many will sing praise for many years!”

“No, no,” Steve shook his head, “They aren’t talking about this week’s baddie.” He refreshes his walls and clicks on the newest video linked to him, turning his phone towards them. “Look, it’s from a boy named Jake Jensen. He’s not even from New York!”

On the screen was a video of a blond boy with thick rimmed round black glasses. He was fiddling on the screen as if to get a better angle. Satisfied, he sat down what looks like a computer chair in what looks like his bedroom, smiling awkwardly at the camera.

“ _Uhm, hey, Captain America, huh weird. Uhm, I know you don’t know me but I know you—”_ he cut himself off with a slap on the forehead. “God that sound like a stalker. Really, I’m not. Sorry. My names is Jake Jensen. I am fourteen years old and I’m gay…”

“Hey cap,” Tony quipped, “the kid looks just like you!”

Steve shushed him with a glare.

The kids on the screen continued talking, “ _… or at least I think I am. My parents are middle-class, hardworking Americans, Christians by religion. Being ‘gay’ is a relatively okay concept to them except when it’s in their own bloodline. This video will probably be my coming-out video…”_ A heavy sigh.

“ _I wanted to say thank you. Not for being gay. I’m not sure if you are but I hope this isn’t a publicity stunt. Yesterday, when the news of you and Ironman broke out, the school was ecstatic. So was I, and a million other LGBT kids in the world, male and female and everything in-between alike._

_Ours is a world with an imagined notion of acceptance. Differently gendered people are tolerated but not fully accepted. Even this, the internet as a platform, people outside the black-and-white are sexualized and distorted into lewd fantasies._

_They can’t do that to you. You’re Captain America. They’re too scared to fight you. It’s wrong, I know, for it to stop because of fear. But I hope, if you really are gay, that you can take it to the right direction. Remove the fear and replace it in acceptance. That’s all. It’s a lot coming from someone you don’t know. But, I have hope in you, Captain America_ , _you and Ironman together_.”

“They all think that…”Steve paused, unsure of what to say without giving away his feelings. He glanced at sideways to Tony.

Jane gave him a pitying look. “But you aren’t…” she too stopped short, following his gaze then back to him, eyes widening in surprise.

Steve blushed as a response. “I guess they all think we are… You and me, Tony, I mean, uhm, _us_.” He stumbled in the middle and fake-coughed to save what little dignity he had.

“Oh,” There was no denying that is shocked Tony speechless, well, almost, “Fancy that,” the billionaire mused. “You and me, huh?” he said, walking off.

“Yeah,” Steve murmured quietly, “You and me, Tony.”

Tony was too far to hear.

***

It was clear by the time they reached a small district park that something was going on. There was a large crowd of youngsters gathered. Music blared from several speakers and a throng of people dancing wildly, full-on rave-style partying, in the middle of the day.

Tony was the first to notice it. He backpedaled. “Maybe we should go the other w—”

“It’s TONY STARK!” One of the twenty-somethings yelled. Several heads turned in their direction.

Steve saw Tony failing to hide a flinch. His instincts kicked into high alert. He saw everything: the streamers, the flags, the multi-colored ribbons in all seven colors of the rainbow. He did not have to be a smart man to figure out what the kids were celebrating. If those weren’t enough, one of the party-goer’s black shirt painted in neon declared: #LoveWins.

“Tony, Tony, Tony,” Black shirt kid said, bouncing on the balls of his feet, “Can I please, please, please get a picture? OMG. You’re hot. Like DILF hot. Please?”

Tony made a face, between disgusted and feeling like he was a dirty old man if he agreed. “Kid,” he said, backing away. For the briefest moment his eyes flutter to Steve’s.

‘ _Oh_ ,’ Steve realized, mind working at a dozen cylinders a minute, gears churning, neurons flaring, ‘ _Oh. So Tony thinks like that.’_ He staggered back with the intensity of that realization, the warm feeling in his chest, the burst of hope, and his earlier fears disappeared. ‘ _Tony thinks like me—about me._ ’

“The surfer dude behind him is Thor!” another kid with a purple faux-hawk chirped in. Turning to Thor, he beckoned, “Thor, Thor, take a selfie with us!”

Soon a crowd had gathered around their group.

“Is that…” a third boy, small and lanky and entirely too skinny, said, “Captain America?” When he asked, this eyes grew impossibly wide behind his thick-rimmed black glasses, filing with reverence and hope, like a kid who saw Santa Claus instead of just Steve.

Steve couldn’t, not that he would, stop his smile. He winked at the kid in pure showmanship, “Good eyes, kid.”

The kid momentarily looked at Steve, then looked at Tony, then back to Steve, and blushed a bright cherry red.

Steve can already see the gears turning in the kid’s head at the embarrassed expression. He braced himself on his knees, lowering to the kid’s height. “Hey, kid, dyou wanna take a picture with us?”

“YES!” the kid beamed, pulling out a phone. Other kids began squeezing themselves in the frame as well until Steve was physically straining to hold the camera out in front of them with his arm. He had taken a few selfies in the past after Tony’s last StarkPhone upgrade. Apple was easy, albeit not a great, in design.

Even with the throng of kids flocking behind him, the chaos in front, and the squishing from the side, Steve saw the look of Tony’s face which confirmed all of his suspicions. How had he been so blind not to see that? Then again, before today, he had practically given up any chance at Tony. No doubt the man behind the suit had done the same.

“Hey Ironman!” one of the kids by his armpit shouted. “You too!”

‘ _Bless him.’_ Steve inwardly said. He smiled brightly at a reluctant Tony Stark. Tony’s face is torn again between indulging free publicity and revealing his obvious vulnerability. Steve decided to choose for him.

“Get in here, Shellhead,” he called out, sounding like his Captain America voice, which just as easily translated to something affectionate. Tony was moving before he even registered it.

Steve moved to the side and made space for Tony beside him, arm around his shoulder, sides pressed together. He heard the hitch in Tony’s voice when he bellowed, “Everybody say cheeeeeeese,” and the group echoed in chorus. Behind them was a flag which the backrow was holding up. It was perfect.

Jane was eagerly snapping away at the side while Thor had a kid sitting on his bicep.

“Thank you!” the lanky kid who owned the phone cried out, wrapping his arm around Steve’s middle, “Thank you so much Captain America! Oh my god, I can’t believe you let me hug you! Thank you, thank you, thank you!”

Steve laughed and patted him on the shoulder. “No problem, kid.”

Tony stepped up beside him, drawing his attention with a hand clapped on his shoulder. “Alright, alright, kids,” He said, attempting to disperse the crowd, “it’s time for me to get Captain America back home.”

“Aren’t you going to the rally?” Purple faux-hawk kid cut in, “It’s just over in central park. There’s a program in the afternoon.”

Steve glanced towards a hesitant Tony. He really did not want to put Tony on the spot. But, if he was right, they’ve been dancing around this thing—possibly, for years, and would continue the nonsense mating dance if neither of them took a leap of faith. This, he decided, was his leap of faith.

He smiled gingerly, “Lead the way.”

“Awesome!” one of the other kids shouted and the other cheered.

“Here!” The #LoveWins kid said, handing him a flag, “You aren’t really dressed for pride in _that_.” He told Steve sheepishly, trying and failing to hide his contempt for the flannel shirt which Steve was wearing.

“Thank you,” Steve chuckled, taking the rainbow American Flag and draping it over his shoulder. “Better?”

“Yes!” the group replied.

***

Central Park was filled with people, nearly all in some kind of rainbow ensemble, and camera crews from several stations sent to cover the event. A large stage was erected in front of the lake, giving the participants a breathtaking picturesque view of the American Pride Flag backdrop against the Manhattan background.

He saw a beautiful woman in a dark with this rainbow hair mane which was done in big round beer-can sized curls standing in the middle of the stage pumping out the already excited crowd. She was a goddess in a dress that looked regal and heels that would make even Pepper’s feet weep, prancing around the platform like the feat was nothing.

“OH MY GOD, BLESS MY NONEXISTENT VAGINA.” She suddenly screeched through the microphone, stilling the audience immediate, “oh the lord all might had answered my prayers and blessed, us, gays, lesbians, transexuals, queen, and every who has every supported this cause because…” She threw her hand dramatically in Steve’s direction, “GOD BLESS US, Captain America had come to join the rally!”

The crowd cheered and parted as Steve, Tony, Thor, and Jane made their way to the stage. The people were wild chanting “Kiss HIM! KISS HIM!” at the top of their lungs, pointing to Steve to Tony or Tony to Steve. “KISS HIM!”

Somehow, Thor and Jane disappeared into the masses.

Steve and Tony were stranded into the middle of gathering, unable to make it to the stage. People circled around them, reminiscent of a school yard brawl but rather than violence, they were screaming “KISS HIM KISS HIM KISS HIM!” towards them.

Steve turned and looked at Tony who was staring right back. He blushed at the intensity he saw in those dark brown eyes filled to the brim with hope, love, and yearning. He wanted to answer them all, each and every emotion which flittered through the windows of Tony’s soul. But needed to be sure. He needed to know this wasn’t him projecting on Tony.

—So, he waited for the man to move.

When Tony did more, it was to wrap his warm calloused hand over the back of Steve’s neck. A gentle pressure tugged Steve forward, bringing their faced closer. He had a look of determination painted on his features. Steve recognizes that look from mission briefing after Tony had decided to pull off another one of his stupid stunts to _make it work_.

Steve thought that this particular plan was a, not stupid, and b, will definitely work. He quirked his lips, just a bit, a little challenging, pushing the last button that Tony needed.

“You asked for it, Cap.” Tony told him before crashing their mouths together.

‘ _I did,_ ” Steve thought to himself, ‘ _Finally’_.

The crowd goes wild around them. Camera phones flash. TV Stations record them. It’s a historic scene in American Gay Rights Movement.

All that disappeared, inconsequential compared to the feeling of Tony lips brushing over his, the scent of Tony’s skin finally filling his nostrils in a way that he’s wanted for so long, the way they fit together in all the way that Steve knew they would, and the slide of more teeth, too much tongue, and it’s perfect.

He buried his hands in the pocket of Tony’s jeans, getting leverage to grind their hips together, an anchor to the feeling of elation that was the after-effect of being thoroughly debauched in the middle of central park in front of thousands of live people and countless more at home.

“I did,” Steve said when they pull away, his throat raw, “Not the answer I was expecting but I will take it. I’ll take you and everything about you, Tony.”

“Will you?” Tony asked because it’s so like Tony to face this thing between them head-on like he does everything.

Steve grinned like a madman. “Anything and everything, Anthony Edward Stark,” he leaned close to whisper. It sounded too much like a matrimonial vow than a love confession to spark the beginnings of their love story.

He threw his doubts away. How can he keep them when Tony looks at him like that? Big, brown eyes filled with love and affection and promise. He holds Tony by the waist, equal parts to keep them both upright and because he did not want to let Tony go. Not right now. Not ever.

“Well then,” Tony said breathlessly, lashes fluttering over his lids making Steve’s breath hitch, “this has been great but now I really need to get this old man home.” He threw a grin to the crowd who cheered a bit more. Grabbing Steve’s hand, he added “Let’s to home, Cap. Chop-chop. We’ve got places to be. Well, erhm, _a_ place and _something_ thing to do.”

Steve grinned back. “Sounds like a promise to me.”

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


End file.
